Proud tinkerer’s steam-engine smoker has all the bells and whistles

Sure, you might like smoked meat. But can you truly say you love it until you take out the middle man and start smoking yourself?

It’s enough of an achievement to just build a homemade meat smoker. But a gentleman in Illinois took it to the next level, spending three years incorporating his smoker into the chassis of a mini steam train that has a functional bell and steam whistle. And naturally, he claims that the neighbourhood dogs go nuts every time he rings the bell.

What do steam trains and smoking meat have in common? Well, both require a nice hot fire to make them function. Also, steam is a big part of the custom smoker, and releasing pressure can even activate a nifty whistle. It’s not clear whether the steam is a part of the smoking process, but it’s possible the contraption includes a steam chamber which could be used to keep the meat tender.

With plenty of room inside and a bunch of chicken half an hour from ready, it looks like this industrious meat smoker will have no trouble making friends.